Sender.



J. A. KROPP.

SENDER.

H APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1914. 1,1?AJW Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W/fnesse: I hive/1hr:

' John A. K'Popp J. A. KROPP.

SENDER.

APPLICATION FILED ov. 6, 1914.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

flu KW W w A eA Y by J. A. KROPP.

SENDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.6, 19:4. Patten-ted Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS$HEET 3.

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John ,4. Krupp.

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1 JOHN ALBERT KROPP, O F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO WESTERN- ELECTRIC COMPANY, INGORPOBATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SENDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed November 6, 1914. Serial No. 870,632.

To all whom/it may concern."

Be it known that 1, JOHN ALBERT KROPP,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Senders, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to calling devices,

The general object of my invention is to provide a new and improved sender having the advantages, among others that any desired number of digits may be easily provided for; and that the time within which the total number of impulses are sent 1s reduced to a minimum, by reason of the fact thatonly a certain definite inwheel and its associated cam in a normalterval of time is allowed to elapse between the sending of the impulses corresponding.

to one digit and the sendingof the impulses corresponding to the succeeding digit, irrespective of the number of impulses corresponding to each digit. I

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which-' Figure 1 is a perspective view with certain parts removed or broken awav; Fig. 2 is a front elevation with part of the casing removed and part of the winding mechanism in section; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig.

4 is a right-hand side elevation with part of the casing remo ed: Fig. .5 is a cr ss-sec ional view taken on the line -5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the first interrupting position; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the 'Second interrupting wheel and its cam with the wheel set to transmit four impulses and with the crank lever in normal position; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the first interrupting wheel set to transmit'six imness for the return of the wheel to normal, and showing the crank lever in its d0wnward operated position; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the second interrupting Wheel with its cam released in readiness for the return of the wheel to normal; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of two adjacent interrupting wheels and shows the two positions of the cam interposed between them.

Similar letters of reference are used to designate the same parts wherever shown in the drawings.

Referringmore particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a main shaft 10 is shown running centrally through the mach'ne and mounted in the side supporting pla es 2324. On this shaft are rotatably mounted five actuating wheels 11, and adjacent on the left side of each of these wheels are mounted, fixed to the shaft 10, ratchet wheels 12. Aflixed to wheels 11 'are spring actuated pawls 13 adapted to be thrown into engagement with teeth of the ratchet wheels 12 for the coupling of wheels 11 to a motor mechanism associated with shaft 10. Associated with each wheel 11 and its ratchet wheel 12 is a spring pressed cam 14 mounted on supporting bracket 15. Each pawl 13 has a pin 16 adapted to rest on the periphery of its associated cam 14;, whereby the pawl 13 is held out of engagement with the teeth on its ratchet wheel 12; the actu- {ating wheels -11 may, therefore, in setting porting plate 17 andextending closely along the left side of each cam 14 is a movable stop in the form ofa spring 18. When the parts are in normal position all but one of these springs 18 are held in a downwardly depressed position, each one by a pin 19 fixed to the wheel '11 on the left side thereof. These springs 18 hold cam 14 in normal position by engaging the side thereof, and are released by pins 19 as soon as the actuating wheels are moved from normal position.

The spring 18 on the leftside of the first cam 14. however, has a downward tendencv and in its lower posit on engages the s de of the cam 14 and holds it in normal position. as shown in Fig. 6.

Although the normal pos tions of all of the cams 14 are as shown in Fig. 10, the natural pulses and'with its cam released-in readiv tendency of each is to take the position shown in dotted lines, under the influence of springs 69. All of the cams 14, including the first, are returned to normal position, by means of a series of restoring levers 20, each of which engages a cam projection 21 on the adjacent cam 14. These levers 20 are fixed to an auxiliary shaft 22 parallel with main shaft 10 and mounted in side supporting plates 23 and 24. The shaft 22 carries, at the extreme right end thereof,va lever 25 by which it is moved as hereinafter described. This may be called a preliminary releasing or unlocking action for the cams 14. As an additional safeguard against the premature release of cams 14, they are so located in regard to pins 19 that when a wheel 11 is set away from normal, its pin 19 will touch the side of the adjacent cam 14 which is thereby held in normal position until the wheel 11 has returned and forced spring 18 to leave the side of the cam 14. At this time, a spring 18, as well as its coiiperating pin 19, will enter the cut-out portion 64 on the adjacent cam, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Further, to insure that cams 14 have been properly returned to normal, pins 19 are adapted, during the setting of wheels 11, to engage raised tongues 101 on the cams and thus to force them positively back to normal.

The switch mechanism manipulated by the interrupting wheels for sending the series of impulses that the calling subscriber may select in setting up a called number will now be described. It consists of levers 26, arranged side by side on a shaft 28 and carrying rollers 29 engaging the toothed periphery of the corresponding actuating wheels 11, whereby each of these levers 26 will be independently rocked. The rollers 29 are held in contact with wheels 11 by means of springs 30 attached to the opposite ends of the levers 26. When rocked, the levers act individually on the common rocking plate 31 fulcrumed on the shaft 28; said plate being adapted, in its movements, to break and make the connection between spring contact members 3233 by means of an extension 34 on said plate engaging an insulating stud 35 attached to spring 32. Springs 3233 are insulated from each other and secured to the back plate 17 by means of screws 39. The springs 3233 are normally electrically connected by angularly arranged. spring contacts 3738 which are normally forced together by an extension 28 on the heel of the first releasing lever 20, which for that purpose engages spring 38, This connection between springs 3738 is thus broken when the handle 71 is turned and the mechanism begins to send impulses over the line, and is kept open until such impulses have been sent, when it is There are in the form shown 10 numbers on each dial plate, marked from 0 to 9, respectively. Each wheel 11, while returnin breaks the connection between switch springs 3233, a predetermined number of times, depending on the extent of its angu-- lar displacement. This angular distance on wheels 11 is not only occupied by the teeth,

but there is also provided a blank space 102, equal to two teeth, between the normal stopping place 103 and the first tooth. This is for the purpose of providing a time interval between the sending of the successive groups of impulses. To return the wheels 11 to normal and thereby to manipulate the switch mechanism and send the successive series of impulses'selected, there is provided a motor mechanism and a speed regulating mechanism. A crank lever 71 adapted to be turned in a forward direction, is coupled through a train including gear wheel 43, pinion 44, gear wheel 45, and pinion 46, to

one end of shaft 10; gear wheel 43 being at-- tached to lever 71 by means of screws 47 and pinion 46 to shaft 10 by means of screw 48 (see Figs. 2 and 4). The opposite end of shaft'lO is split through-the center to receive the inside end of spiral spring 49, the outer end of which is attached'to the left-hand supporting plate 23. The crank lever 71 when turned as far as it will go in a forward direction, winds spring 49, and when released is governed by speed regulating mechanism 56 provided to retard the movement and give proper speed to the actuating wheels. This mechanism consists of gear 50, meshing with pinion 51 integral with gear 52, which in turn meshes with pinion 53 with which worm wheel 54 rotates. Said worm wheel drives worm 55 of governor 56 which consists of weighted springs 57 and a friction drum 58. The gear 50, pinion 53 and worm wheel 54 are rotatably' mounted on shaft 10. Pinioh 51 and gear 52 are rotatably mounted on shaft 59, which is supported between plate 23 and bracket 60 secured to plate 17. The speed regulating mechanism is coupled to shaft 10 during its return movement only, by a pawl 62mounted on the gear 50, which pawl engages a ratchet wheel 61. fixed on shaft 10. v I

The operation of the sender is as follows: The first action of the subscriber is to'set up or pre-select the subscribers number wanted. Letit be assumed that the number 64893 is to be; selected and called. The calling subscriber moves the first wheel 11 forward until the figure 6 shows in the aperture 40 adjacent to this wheel; the second wheel 11 until the figure 4 shows in its corresponding aperture; the third until the figure 8 shows; the fourth wheel until the figure 9 shows; and finally the fifth wheel until the figure 3 shows. The changes due to these manipulations are: First, the toothed peripheries of wheels 11 have been moved forward past their respective rollers 29 for a number of teeth corresponding to the digits of the number selected. It will be noted that although levers 26 are rocked by rollers 29 riding over the teeth of wheels 11. no impulses are. at this time sent over the line, due to the closed contacts 3738. Second, pawls 13 which have been moved forward with wheels 11 are held out of engagement with their adjacent ratchet wheels 12 by means of the pins 16 riding on the periphery of the associated cams 14. This'is due to the. cams 14 being still held in their normal position by the pins 19 engaging their sides; by projections 21 engaging the corresponding levers 20; and by springs 18 which now engage the sides of adjacent cams, having been released by the pins 19 during the setting operation and allowed to take the position shown in Fig. 7

The final action on the part of the subscriber is the moving of the crank lever 71 forward as far as it will go and then releasing it, for the purpose of transmitting the impulses pre-selected by the setting up operation. The changes due to this manipulation are: First, spring 49 is wound up,

through the medium of gears 43,44, 45, 46 and shaft 10, suificiently to return wheels '11 to normal: Second, at the end of the downward movement of the crank lever 71 a pin 63 on gear wheel 43, engages starting lever 25 and thereby rotates auxiliary shaft 22 and turns the levers 20 out of engagement with the projections 21 on the cams 14.- As hereinbefore stated, however, none of the cams except the first 14 is at this time allowed to fall back, due to theposition of the holding springs 18. The first spring 18 is moved out of engagement with the first cam 14* by an extension 104 on the first releasing by which the spring 18 is forced to enter cut-out portion 64 of the cam 14, as

shown in Figs. 6 and:8. This allows the first cam 14 to move to the left, and ,pin 16 on pawl-13 of the first wheel 11 to'trip,'thereby allowing the pawl 13*, to engage a tooth on adjacent ratchet wheel 12?. Movement ofthe. first releasing lever 20 will alsoo-at this time break the shunt across the line due to the contacts 37 and 38, owing to themovevment of the extension 28 awayv from said contacts, thereby leaving the linefree to receive the impulses. Third, when crank lever 71 is released, the shaft 10 and the ratchet wheels 12 start to return to normal under the driving effect of springs 48, controlled by the governor. The first wheel 11 having its pawl 13 engaged with the adjacent ratchet wheel 12*, as above explained, will participate in the movement therof and will manipulate the springs 3233 through lever 26 and rocking plate 31. The roller 29 in this case must have passed over seven teeth on the periphery of wheel 11 and the connection between springs 32 and 33 broken seven times, which transmits the numeral 6 and closes the circuit. At the end of the return journey of this first wheel 11* to normal, the pin 16 is engaged by a raised portion 67 0n the cam 14, which extends at this point into the path of its movement, the pawl 13 being thereby thrown out of engagement with ratchet wheel 12 and the wheel 11 allowed to stop. However, immediately before stopping, the pin 19 passes out of engagement with the cam 14 and into engagement with the spring 18 which it moves, thereby releasing cam 14 associated with the second wheel 11", as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This allows pawl 13 to engage adjacent ratchet wheel 12, and the second wheel 11 is thereby returned to normal and transmits the second series of impulses that are, in the case assumed, four in number. In exactly the same manner, the third, fourth and fifth series of impulses are transmitted over the line in succession, that is, the pin on the second wheel releases the cam for the third wheel, the pin on the third wheel releases thecam for the fourth wheel, and the pin on the fourth wheel releases the cam for the fifth wheel; the series of impulses in the case assumed being eight, nine and three respectively. Each wheel 11 in returning, after having sent the required impulses, continues to move for a time interval equal to approximately the sending period of two impulses. This is for the purpose of distinguishing the different groups of impulses from each other at the receiving end of the line.

The fourth and final operation, due to return of lever 71, is the return of all cams 14 to normal position and the closing of the contacts 3738. This is effected by the turning of the shaft 22 due to the engagement of the lever 25by the pin 68 carried by the gear 43, which causes the levers 20 to engage the projections 21 on the cams 14 and to thereby force said cams back to normal position. At the same time, springs 37-38 are forced back into contact by the extension 28 of lever 2Q which engages spring 38 j in returning to normal position. To insure,

however, that the'cams 14 are completely returned, the pins 19 are so arranged that when the wheels 11 are again moved away from normal for the setting up of another number, they will ride up on the raised tongue 101 on the side of their associated cams and will force them back in place. The pawls 13 are then completely within control of the cams 14. It is evident that by this arrangement the time interval during which the subscribers line needs to be engaged for sending of a number is always reduced to a minimum, and that the time interval between the different digits is always constant, regardless of the number of impulses required for each digit.

A mechanism capable of sending numbers containing up to five digits has been shown and described. The invention is not, however, limited to such a construction, as it is evident that units containing substantially the same parts for each digit could be added without introducing undue mechanical complications, thereby producing structures capable of sending numbers containing any number of digits.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sender, a circuit controlling switch, a plurality of actuating devices 00- operating therewith each adapted to be manually set so as to operate said switch a predetermined number of times during the return of an actuating device to normal position, a common motor mechanism for returning said actuating devices to their normal positions, and means for operatively associating the first of said actuating devices with said. motor mechanism and the other actuating devices successively with the motor mechanism a definite interval of time after the completion of the return movement of the preceding actuating device.

2. In a sender, a circuit-controlling switch, a plurality of actuating wheels cooperating therewith each adapted to be manually set so as to operate said switch a predetermined number of times during the return of a wheel to normal position, a common motor mechanism for returning said wheels to their normal positions, means for operatively associating the first of said wheels with said motor mechanism, and means actuated by each wheel on its return to normal position for o eratively associating the succeeding wheeFwith the motor mechanism.

8. In a sender, a circuit-controlling switch, a plurality of actuating wheels cooperating therewith each adapted to be manually set so as to operate said switch a predetermined number of times during the return. ofa wheel to normal position, a shaft upon which said wheels are rotatably mounted, means for coupling each wheel to said shaft, motor mechanism for driving said shaft, means for actuating the coupling means associated with the first of said wheels and means operated by each wheel on its return to normal position for actuating the coupling means associated with the succeeding wheel."

4. In a sender, a circuit-controlling switch, a plurality of actuating wheels cooperating therewith each adapted to be manually set so as to operate said switch a predetermined number of times during the return of a wheel to normal position, a shaft upon which said wheels are rotatably mounted, means for coupling each wheel to said shaft, motor mechanism for driving said shaft, manually operated means for storing energy in said motor mechanism, means operated by 'said energy storing means for actuating the coupling means associated with the first wheel, and means controlled by each wheel on its return to normal position for actuating the coupling means associated with the succeeding wheel.

5. In a sender, a circuit-controlling switch, a plurality of actuating wheels cooperating therewith each adapted to be manually set so as to operate said switch a predetermined number of times during the return of a wheel to normal position, a shaft upon which said wheels are rotatably mounted, means for coupling each wheel to said shaft, motor mechanism for driving said shaft, a movable handle connected to said motor mechanism for storing energy in the latter, means operated by said handle in its off-normal position for actuating the coupling means associated with the first wheel, and means controlled by each wheel on its return to normal position for actuating the coupling means associated with the succeeding wheel.

6. In a sender, a circuit-controlling switch, a plurality of actuating wheels cooperating therewith each adapted to be manually set so as to operate said switch a predetermined number of times during the return of a wheel to normal position, a shaft upon which said wheels are rotatably mounted, a motor mechanism for driving said shaft, a plurality of ratchet wheels each secured to said shaft and located adjacent an actuating wheel, a pawl mounted on each actuating wheel and arranged to cooperate with the adjacent ratchet wheel, a plurality of movable cams each cooperating with a pawl for holding said pawl out of en- 'gagement with its ratchet wheel, a plurality of movable stops each cooperating with one of said cams to hold said-cam in the position in which it holds the corresponding pawl out of engagement with its ratchet wheel, means for moving the stop cooperating with the cam corresponding to the first actuating wheel to its non-holding position, means operated l by each actuating wheel on its return to normal position for moving the stop cooperating with the cam for the next succeeding actuating wheel to its non-holding po'sition,'means for restoring said cams to the position in which they hold their cooperating pawlsi out of engagement with their ratchet wheels, and manually operated means for storing energy in said-motor mechanism and for controlling said restoring means.

7. In a sender, a circuit-controlling switch, a plurality of actuating wheels cooperating therewith each adapted to be manually set so as to operate said switch a predetermined number of times during the return of a Wheel to normal position, a shaft upon which said wheels are rotatably mounted, a motor mechanism for driving said shaft, manually operated means for storing energy in sald motor mechanism, a

plurality of ratchet wheels each secured "to said shaft and located adjacent an actuating wheel, a pawl mounted on each actuating Wheel and arranged to cooperate Wlth, the

adjacent ratchet wheel, a plurality of cams each cooperating with a pawl always holding said ratchet wheel when its actuating wheel is in normal position but movable to permit the pawl out of engagement with. its

pawl to engage the ratchet wheel in of!- normal positions of its actuating wheel, a plurality of-movable stops each cooperating with one of said cams to hold said cam in 'the position in which it holds the corresponding pawl out of engagement with its ratchet wheel in all positions of its actuating wheel, means for moving the stop cooperating with the cam corresponding to the first actuating wheel to its non-holding position, means operated by each actuating wheel on its return to normal position for moving the stop cooperating with the cam. for the next succeeding actuating wheel tov its non-holding Position, and means actu' ated by the motor mechanism after return A. D., 1914. I JOHN ALBERT KROPP. Witnesses:

E. EDLER, K. L. STAHL. 

